The Brookhaven leader., 1887-07-14
An Address of the County Demo
cratic Executive Committee.

/ Democrats cf the comfy into one harmo-
Nous body, that success may follow It's ell
forts in behalf Of good government and
victory perch upon its banners, your Ex-
ecutiye Committee have deemed il proper
to address to you few suggestions to for
ward and advance the ends desired:
LIST. 1t has become and is an admitted
fact that this government, while one OF
and for the people, the voice of the people
is only properly expressed through the
action of political parties. In other
words, for all practical purposes OF govern
ment, the people are heard only through
party organization. Whether this should
be or not, it is.
End There are but two political parties
&C ntesting for the control of both Federal
and State government--the Democratic and
Republican. In a national point OF view
and aside from issues not strictly political
and peculiar only to the Southern States,
these parties hold diverse and utterly an
tagonistic theories of the powers of gov
eminent and their proper administration,
and consequently any rejecting man feel
ing patriotic interest in the welfare OF
his country must necessarily either align
himself with one party or the other, or
content himself with being a drone and Il
laggard in political contests. If he is con-
tent to occupy the latter position he is bet
ter fitted for a subject Of arbitrary and
despotic government than a citizen of a
free republic and ought to betakc himself
at once from the American soil and take
up his abode in those countries where he
can have masters to do his thinking for
him.
Sd. Without party organization, polit-
zeal parties cannot exist and be effective,
and such organization cannot be accom-
plishcd without unity of action among
those holding the same political doctrines
and tenets. Hence the necessity for organ
lied effort in each county.
4th. 1t is fundamental doctrine of all
political parties that the majority shall
rule, as it is an accepted axiom that while
it is true that majoritics may err, it is less
probable that they will-than minorites.
In nothing that requires combined efforts
in public affairs do all minds agree in de-
tails, although they do agree in fundamen-
and just that those having the same grand
end in view should meet and consult to-
gether,yielding to the majority on all mat
tiers of Of details. that the same general
aim and end may be advanced.
9Th. The wisdom of century or more
has established the convention system as
the best mode of preserving party organi-
cation and advancing in the practical adj
ministraton of the government both State
and Federal, the political principles es-
poused. While various substitutes have
been proposed and tried, none have an
swered as well the purpose and given as
much satisfaction as that OF convention
in which every Democrat has right to be
represented and is represented except by
reason of his own lethargv and neglect.
Another tenet of the party made sacred
by age and approved by the wisdom Of the
great party leaders, is that all true Demo-
Gratis should bow in obedience to the action
of a convention of the party. In every
other county in the State except this these
principles of party organization are adj
hered to and Observed and because of the
great democratic majority in this county
party lines have become loosened and the
danger of disintcgration imminent. With
view to avoid this and place the party
on a strong and invincible footing, your
committee have deemed it to be its duty
to remind the Democracy of the county on
the eve of an election and Just one year
preceding the Presidential contest of these
fundamental principles and usages of the
party, and urge their observance now. No
more opportune time could be presented
for putting our Democratic house in order
for the coming Presidential conflict of 1888
when n herculean effort will be made
throughout the country by the spoilsmen
to wrest from the hands of the Democratic
party the control of the Federal govern
ment. The experience of the past admon-
ishes OF the dangers to be encountered in
any such retrograde movement, and the
hope of the future should inspire us with
renewed patriotic zeal in the struggle for
the preservation of liberty and good gov
eminent; receiving as it has new and
sacred baptism at the hands of DemocIatic
administration.
That we may put ourselves in line with
the Democracy of the State and United
States, by adopting and strictly adhering
to its methods and practices, departing
from the past usages of the party in this
county, your committee have ordered a
nominating convention and that all offices,
District, county and beat, to be elected at
the ensuing election be nominated by such
convention. The Democratic voters of
each voting precinct by attending the
primaries can give expression to their
choice for each officer to be elected and in
this way the voice of the majority will be
heard and will be registered by the county
convention in the nomination it makes
Those who aspire to Office as Democrats
should be willing to submit their claims to